Teach For Change, the brainchild of M.R.S.K. Chaitanya, is serving as a platform for those who want to do their bit for the society. The initiative of Passionate Foundation has around 50 volunteers who take time out every week to teach English and leadership skills in government schools.
“I feel education is the best gift you could give a person. And we all know the plight of students in government schools, which lack basic infrastructure. I joined Teach For Change as I wanted to do my bit for the society and the students as well,” says Ashok Yedla, volunteer and a working professional.
Entrepreneur and volunteer Ashwin Mehta adds, “I have completed my graduation with great difficulty and I understand the importance of education. I feel that if I have been fortunate to get something, I need to give it back to the society as well. That is why I joined TFC.”
The volunteers ensure that they aren’t strict with the kids. “The students treat us as friends. We try to teach them through stories, give examples based on everyday life, try to arrange competitions and make the class exciting,” says Sharmila Ramesh, a housewife.
“I don’t go to the class as their teacher, but as their friend. The children also bought friendship bands for me on Friendship day,” says Ashwin adding, “I have children in my class who want to become scientists, IPS officers, software engineers etc. They need to be shown the right path to achieve their goals.”
The volunteers teach once a week, on Saturdays, for two hours. They also mentor the students to achieve their goals.
“We need to chase them from the grassroots level,” says Ashok. While Shilpa Balaji, volunteer and a housewife, adds, “Few children attend school only for mid-day meals. We need to tell them how important education for them is. These are talented students who need a push, someone who can guide them and they too can do wonders. The school also lacks basic infrastructure, like toilets, because of which students drop out.”
From the next academic year, Teach For Change will teach in 100 schools, for this they will need more volunteers. “We look for someone who has basic communication skills, besides the willingness to serve the society. The volunteer will also need to give us commitment for the next one year, as it would be difficult for the students to get used to a new teacher,” informs Deepak Nadh, project director for Teach For Change.
